


Magic with Every Step

by unevenstar



Series: Hetalia Drabbles 2020 [9]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Finnish Mythology & Folklore, First Meetings, Forests, Historical References, M/M, Magic, Mythology - Freeform, Nature
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:47:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27353728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unevenstar/pseuds/unevenstar
Summary: There is light beyond the threshold of the forest. Berwald dares to go and follow.[An older piece, finished in August of 2019]
Relationships: Finland/Sweden (Hetalia)
Series: Hetalia Drabbles 2020 [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1997740
Kudos: 15





	Magic with Every Step

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Nordic mythology, especially Norse, is frequently used in literature, but I haven’t seen enough sourced from Finnish/Eastern European tales. So I hit up an article about Finnish paganism and found that there are spirits called haltijas, that guard or help something/somebody. They’re described as elf or gnome-like. Like kitsune, there are many types of haltija, like forest or water types and ones that even guard human settlements. I’ll be doing my own take on how they look and act for this piece. I hope you enjoy!

**Finland, 1848 - South of the Laplands**

  
Berwald has been separated from the expedition crew for several hours now, and being the youngest member, it may not work out for him. He’s at the mercy of the great forest ahead of him, and the last settlement is a few miles from here, but it’s hard to tell when your map was eaten by a bear. Nightfall, he guesses, is a few hours away.

He clutches his satchel with only another meal’s worth of food and necessities and walks on, until he feels a cool, low breeze brush his legs. The air has been motionless for several minutes and the trees themselves have not moved. Grasses nearby remain still. Berwald frowns and draws a pocket knife. That breeze tickles his ear, once, twice. Berwald’s hand flies up to touch that spot, but no luck. There’s the sound of laughing from the forest and he spots a figure weaving through the trees, one smaller than him.

Although Berwald is never the type to take chances, he seizes this one like the last ray of sunlight.

“You came to see me?” says the boy as he reveals himself from behind the tree. Berwald’s heart is caught up in his throat as he sees a set of point ears. A  _ haltija,  _ the spirits of the land. He’s been told not to approach them in fear of their wrath. But this one probably couldn’t hurt a fly.

Berwald takes a step back as the haltija takes a bold step forward, and opens his mouth. “What’s your name?”

He speaks in a clear, sweet voice coated with honey, no, a soft perfume of flowers. 

“Berwald,” says the Swede. “An’ yours?”

“Taavi,” replies the haltija, whose clever hands tug upon Berwald’s, beckoning him. Luring him into what could very well be a trap.

“Th’ forest ‘s dangerous,” Berwald mutters a matter-of-factly. “Don’ know what’s in there.”

Taavi frowns, almost sympathetically. “I could show you! And protect you, if that’s what you’d like.”

A flock of birds stir several hundred meters off, flying away from the tips of the trees. There’s a scampering of heavyset feet. Something rustles, branches crack and fall. The hours are all ticking away.

Before Berwald can make a move, a thin vine sprouts from Taavi’s fingertips and wraps around his upper arm. The haltija rips off the excess connecting to his finger, leaving a ringlet of leaves behind.

“This way they’ll know you’re with me. Come on, now. I can get you a place to stay.”

In a trance, Berwald follows Taavi who bounds into the woods, leaving everything he was taught behind.


End file.
